This invention is concerned with improvements relating to mining equipment, particularly to the supply of fluid under pressure to machinery in an underground mine working, such as hydraulic fluid under pressure to an advancing roof support unit. Whereas the invention will be described hereinafter in relation to its use in the underground mining of coal, it is to be appreciated that the invention is not so limited in its application, and may be used in the mining of other minerals.
In the mining system known as the "Long Wall" system, a conveyor assembly extends alongside an exposed seam of coal. Coal winning machinery, such as a cutter drum, is mounted above the conveyor assembly (usually on rails provided by the conveyor assembly) and cuts into the face being worked as its traverses the face. Usually, the entire seam, from floor to ceiling, is taken out in one traverse, but if the seam is particularly deep, this may be done in two or more passes. Coal cut from the seam is deposited on the conveyor assembly, whereby it is removed from the face.
Usually after each cut, it is necessary to advance the conveyor assembly towards the newly-exposed face of the coal seam. Conventionally, this is performed by a number of advancing roof support units extending along the face, which push the conveyor assembly forwardly, behind the coal winning machine, and which subsequently draw themselves up towards the conveyor assembly. The conveyor assembly is built up from a number of sections connected together, each section comprising a pan for the conveyor belt, and a spill plate which is secured to the pan and which comprises a clevis rail.
Conventionally, fluid under pressure, (which is usually hydraulic) is delivered to the roof support units by means of a fluid hose supported by brackets mounted on or carried by part of the conveyor assembly, the hose being provided with T-junctions at intervals spaced along the length thereof, whereby hydraulic fluid may be delivered to individual roof support units. The setting up of the fluid supply system is difficult and time consuming, especially in view of the difficult conditions usually prevailing at a mine face, and it is one of the various objects of this invention to facilitate the provision of a fluid supply system for an underground mine working.